Hurdle



April 19, 1955 D.- L. HOLMES HURDLE Filed May 29, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent 1 2,706,631 HURDLE David L. Holmes, Detroit, Mich. Application May 29, 1951, Serial No. 228,939 Claims. (Cl. 27259) This invention relates to athletic equipment and has particular reference to a hurdle for use on a running track.

An object of the invention is to generally improve devices of this character and particularly to provide a hurdle which is simple in construction, light in weight, readily adjustable for different heights and one which may be folded into a comparatively small space for storage and transportation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hurdle which is constructed with a claw which is arranged to embed itself in the ground, thereby preventing the bouncing and skidding of the hurdle when it has been tipped over.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hurdle which is constructed and arranged so that it may be readily adjusted by an operator while standing near the center of the hurdle without danger of having the device become cocked while shifting it from one height to another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hurdle which is provided with readily shiftable weights whereby the tip-over resistance of the hurdle may be adjusted to offset results due to changes in height and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding and adjustable hurdle which is provided with means for quickly locking and unlocking the adjustable members.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawings forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hurdle embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference characters 7 and 8 indicate a pair of base members, which in this instance are preferably made of heavy metal tubing. The base members 7 and 8 are open at either end and the leading end 9 is formed with a pointed portion 10 which serves as a claw, which embeds itself in the ground when the hurdle is tipped over during an athletic event. The tubular base members 7 and 8 are provided with weights 11 which are preferably made of heavy rod stock and are slidable in the members 7 and 8 so that a variable degree of tip-over resistance may be provided for the hurdle when it is in use. The slidable weights 11 are provided with pull rods 11A which are arranged to extend through apertured metal straps 11B, welded to the ends of the base members 7 and 8.

Supported on the base member 7 and 8, are the up rights 12 and 13 to which are secured by welding, as at 14, the cross members 15 and 16. The base members 7 and 8 and uprights 12 and 13 are attached to one another as follows: As shown in Fig. 2, a rod 17 extends into an opening 18 formed in each base member 7 and 8 and the rod 17 is welded to the base member by continuous welds 19 and 20. The upright members 12 and 13 then telescope the respective rods 17. The rods 17 serve as pivots so that the base members 7 and 8 may be swung into the positions shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the base members 7 and 8 are swung into positions indicated by the dotted lines, as shown in Fig. 1, the hurdle wi l occupy a minimum of space and may readily be stacked with others for storage or may be conveniently transported. The base members 7 and 8 may be locked against rotation about the pivots 17 by means of locking rods 21 which are slidable in eye pieces 22 which are preferab welded to the base members 7 and 8. The locking rods 21 are adapted to engage transverse bores 23 formed in the uprights 12 and 13 and in the pivots 17. The rods 21 are spring backed by compression springs 24, so that they will automatically move into locking position when the 8 bores in the pivots 17 and the uprights 13 are in alignment.

Slidable in the uprights 12 and 13 are extension members 25 and 26 to which is secured the cross bar 27. The extension members 25 and 26 are of such length that the cross bar 27 may be lowered so that it rests immediately on top of the uprights 12 and 13 for the low position of the hurdle. The uprights 12 and 13 and the extension members 25 and 26 are provided with a plurality of spaced bores 28 which are adapted to accommodate the locking rods 29 so that cross bar 27 may be elevated to different heights. The locking rods 29 are slidable in eye members 30 which are welded to the cross member 16. The locking rods 29 are spring backed with springs 31 so that they will automatically enter the transverse bores 28. The locking rods 29 terminate adjacent the approximate center line of the cross bar 27 in hand grip members 32. These members may be gripped by one hand of the operator to release the members 25 and 26 from the uprights 12 and When so released, the cross bar 27 may then be elevated or lowered with the operators other hand. This facilitates the rapid adjustment of the hurdle and results in the saving of a lot of the time of the athletic attendant who may have a great number of the hurdles to adjust between events.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have disclosed a unique hurdle which will obviate many of the difficulties encountered in the use of the hurdles now known to the public.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described in combination, a pair of tubular uprights of circular cross section, tie bars connecting said uprights, a tubular base member of similar cross section pivotally secured to each upright and arranged to rotate about the axis of said upright, and locking elements coacting between said uprights and said base members.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, in which said base members have pointed ends adapted to serve as claws, when the device is tipped over.

3. The structure defined in claim 1, in which the ends of the base members adjacent said uprights are provided with pointed portions adapted to serve as claws when the device is tipped over.

4. A hurdle comprising a pair of tubular upright members of circular cross section, tubular extensions slidable in each of said upright members, a cross bar connecting and reinforcing said extensions, a base member pivotally secured to each of said uprights and arranged to rotate about the axis of said upright by means of a bar which extends through an opening in said base member and telescopes the lower end of said upright member, and locking elements for securing said base members in predetermined radial positions with respect to the said uprights.

5. A hurdle comprising a pair of tubular upright members of circular cross section, tubular extensions slidable in each of said upright members, a cross bar connecting and reinforcing said extensions, locking means cooperating between said uprights and said extensions, and means controllable adjacent the approximate center line of said cross bar, for actuating said locking means, a base member pivotally secured to each of said uprights and arranged to rotate about the axis of said upright by means of a bar which extends through an opening in said base member and telescopes the lower end of said upright member, and locking elements for securing said base members in predetermined uprights.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 8, 1930 Sweden 1937 Sweden 1939 radial positions with respect to the said 

